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Primary Sources: The execution of Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, 1556A:hover {color: #0000FF; font-weight: bold}  This dramatic account of Archbishop Thomas Cranmer's execution was written by an anonymous bystander. Cranmer was executed on 21 March 1556. Imprisoned by the Catholic Queen Mary I, Cranmer wrote a recantation of Protestantism, but he denied that recantation before he died. Mary had good cause to dislike Cranmer. Not only was he the premier Protestant in England, he also annulled her parents' marriage and subsequently married King Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn.
But that I know for our great friendships, and long continued love,
you look even of duty that I should signify to you of the truth of such
things as here chanceth among us; I would not at this time have written
to you the unfortunate end, and doubtful tragedy, of Thomas Cranmer late
bishop of Canterbury: because I little pleasure take in beholding of such
heavy sights. And, when they are once overpassed, I like not to rehearse
them again; being but a renewing of my woe, and doubling my grief.
For although his former, and wretched end, deserves a greater misery, (if
any greater might have chanced than chanced unto him), yet, setting aside
his offenses to God and his country, and beholding the man without his
faults, I think there was none that pitied not his case, and bewailed not
his fortune, and feared not his own chance, to see so noble a prelate,
so grave a counsellor, of so long continued honor, after so many dignities,
in his old years to be deprived of his estate, adjudged to die, and in
so painful a death to end his life. I have no delight to increase
it. Alas, it is too much of itself, that ever so heavy a case should
betide to man, and man to deserve it.
But to come to the matter: on Saturday last, being 21 of March, was
his day appointed to die. And because the morning was much rainy,
the sermon appointed by Mr Dr Cole to be made at the stake, was made in
St Mary's church: whither Dr Cranmer was brought by the mayor and aldermen,
and my lord Williams: with whom came divers gentlemen of the shire, sir
T A Bridges, sir John Browne, and others. Where was prepared, over
against the pulpit, a high place for him, that all the people might see
him. And, when he had ascended it, he kneeled him down and prayed,
weeping tenderly: which moved a great number to tears, that had conceived
an assured hope of his conversion and repentance....
When praying was done, he stood up, and, having leave to speak, said,
'Good people, I had intended indeed to desire you to pray for me; which
because Mr Doctor hath desired, and you have done already, I thank you
most heartily for it. And now will I pray for myself, as I could
best devise for mine own comfort, and say the prayer, word for word, as
I have here written it.' And he read it standing: and after kneeled
down, and said the Lord's Prayer; and all the people on their knees devoutly
praying with him....
And then rising, he said, 'Every man desireth, good people, at the
time of their deaths, to give some good exhortation, that other may remember
after their deaths, and be the better thereby. So I beseech God grant
me grace, that I may speak something, at this my departing, whereby God
may be glorified, and you edified....
And now I come to the great thing that troubleth my conscience more
than nay other thing that ever I said or did in my life: and that is, the
setting abroad of writings contrary to the truth. Which here now
I renounce and refuse, as things written with my hand, contrary to the
truth which I thought in my heart, and written for fear of death, and to
save my life, if it might be: and that is, all such bills, which I have
written or signed with mine own hand since my degradation: wherein I have
written many things untrue. And forasmuch as my hand offended in
writing contrary to my heart, therefore my hand shall first be punished:
for if I may come to the fire, it shall be first burned. And as for
the pope, I refuse him, as Christ's enemy and antichrist, with all his
false doctrine.'
And here, being admonished of his recantation and dissembling, he said,
'Alas, my lord, I have been a man that all my life loved plainness, and
never dissembled till now against the truth; which I am most sorry for
it.' He added hereunto, that, for the sacrament, he believed as he
had taught in his book against the bishop of Winchester. And here
he was suffered to speak no more....
Then was he carried away; and a great number, that did run to see him
go so wicjedly to his death, ran after him, exhorting him, while time was,
to remember himself. And one Friar John, a godly and well learned
man, all the way traveled with him to reduce him. But it would not
be. What they said in particular I cannot tell, but the effect appeared
in the end: for at the stake he professed, that he died in all such opinions
as he had taught, and oft repented him of his recantation.
Coming to the stake with a cheerful countenance and willing mind, he
put off his garments with haste, and stood upright in his shirt: and bachelor
of divinity, named Elye, of Brazen-nose college, labored to convert him
to his former recantation, with the two Spanish friars. And when
the friars saw his constancy, they said in Latin to one another 'Let us
go from him: we ought not to be nigh him: for the devil is with him.'
But the bachelor of divinity was more earnest with him: unto whom he answered,
that, as concerning his recantation, he repented it right sore, because
he knew it was against the truth; with other words more. Whereby
the Lord Williams cried, 'Make short, make short.' Then the bishop
took certain of his friends by the hand. But the bachelor of divinity
refused to take him by the hand, and blamed all the others that so did,
and said, he was sorry that ever he came in his company. And yet
again he required him to agree to his former recantation. And the
bishop answered, (showing his hand), 'This was the hand that wrote it,
and therefore shall it suffer first punishment.'
Fire being now put to him, he stretched out his right hand, and thrust
it into the flame, and held it there a good space, before the fire came
to any other part of his body; where his hand was seen of every man sensibly
burning, crying with a loud voice, 'This hand hath offended.'
As soon as the fire got up, he was very soon dead, never stirring or crying
all the while.
His patience in the torment, his courage in dying, if it had been taken
either for the glory of God, the wealth of his country, or the testimony
of truth, as it was for a pernicious error, and subversion of true religion,
I could worthily have commended the example, and matched it with the fame
of any father of ancient time: but, seeing that not the death, but cause
and quarrel thereof, commendeth the sufferer, I cannot but much dispraise
his obstinate stubbornness and sturdiness in dying, and specially in so
evil a cause. Surely his death much grieved every man; but not after
one sort. Some pitied to see his body so tormented with the fire
raging upon the silly carcass, that counted not of the folly. Other
that passed not much of the body, lamented to see him spill his soul, wretchedly,
without redemption, to be plagued for ever. His friends sorrowed
for love; his enemies for pity; strangers for a common kind of humanity,
whereby we are bound one to another. Thus I have enforced myself,
for your sake, to discourse this heavy narration, contrary to my mind:
and, being more than half weary, I make a short end, wishing you a quieter
life, with less honor; and easier death, with more praise. to Primary Sources geovisit(); |
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